Forms: 4 biker, 5 becure, byker, bikyr, 7 beeker, 7– beaker: see also BICKER. [ME. biker, ad. ON. bikarr; found in other Teutonic langs. (OS. bikeri, OHG. behhâri, behhar, MHG. and mod.G. becher:—OTeut. type *bikarjo-(m), but not a native Teut. word: considered to be a. L. bicārium; but as this is known only in med.L., it is doubtful whether it existed early enough to be the source of the Teutonic. (The Romanic words, It. bicchiére, pécchero, OF. pichier, pechier, referred by Diez to the same source, require a Latin type in biccār-.) Bīcārium is referred by Diez to Gr. βῖκος ‘drinking-bowl,’ of which *βῑκάριον would be a legitimately formed, though not recorded, diminutive. The original Eng. form is retained in Scotch bicker; the mod. form has apparently been assimilated to beak.]
1. A large drinking vessel with a wide mouth, an open cup or goblet. (Now chiefly in literary use.)
1348. Acc. Edw. Pr. Wales, in Promp. Parv., 35. Magne pecie argenti, vocate Bikers.
1420. E. E. Wills (1882), 45. A becure of seluer.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 35/2. Byker, cuppe (v.r. bikyr), cimbium.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, vi. 75. Fill him his Beaker, he will never flinch, To giue a full quart pot the empty pinch.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIV. 117. The prince a silver beaker chose.
1872. Freeman, Hist. Ess., 14. His cupbearer was carrying … a royal beaker full of wine.
b. The contents of a beaker.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, I. xv. 218. We drink this beaker … to the health of Wilfred of Ivanhoe.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, xxx. 146. Stimulated by … beakers of Badminton.
2. An open-mouthed glass vessel, with a lip for pouring, used in scientific experiments.
1877. Watts, Fownes’ Chem., II. 16. The acid containing the ammonia is poured out into a beaker.
